Antidepressant Activity of Ethanol Extract of Cassava Leaves (Manihot esculenta C.) in Male White Mice Using the Forced Swimming Test Method

Depression is a disorder characterized by changes in one's mood and activity patterns that are different than usual. Depression is experienced by teenagers to old age. One of the ways to overcome people's depression is to consume drugs made from herbal ingredients. Cassava leaves are thought to have efficacy as an antidepressant. This study aims to determine the antidepressant effect of cassava leaf extract given orally to male white mice. The extraction was carried out by soxhletation method. The extract obtained was tested for phytochemical content. The antidepressant effect test of cassava leaf extract was carried out using the forced swimming test method with the immobility time parameter. The test animals were divided into 5 groups each consisting of 5 mice. Group 1 was drug control (amitriptyline), group 2 was depression control (CMC Na 0.5%), groups 3, 4, 5 were given ethanol extract of cassava leaves at doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/KgBb. The result showed that the extract contained flavonoid, alkaloid, saponin and steroid. The results showed that the ethanol extract of cassava leaves at doses of 125 mg/KgBb, 250 mg/KgBb, 500 mg/KgBb had an antidepressant effect, as indicated by the immobility time scores of each group of 28.76%, 35.14% and 44.94%. The ethanol extract of cassava leaf has an optimal effect as an antidepressant in male white mice at a dose of 500 mg/KgBb, equivalent to the control drug amitriptyline.